Tuesday, November 2, 2010

10 Things I Can’t Live Without: Kelly Oshiro of Santa Barbara Chic

Even though it has been over five years since my wedding, I still love looking at wedding blogs. Maybe because they really didn’t exist back when I was planning my wedding! The brides today are so lucky to have amazing resources like Santa Barbara floral and event designer, Kelly Oshiro’s wonderful blog, Santa Barbara Chic. Kelly is super talented and often shares images from the events she plans, along with inspiration for everything from place settings to interior design. Did I mention she does a feature called “Shoesday” in which she posts a fabulous pair of shoes every Tuesday? Enough said! In all seriousness, Kelly produces some incredibly beautiful events and is a frequent source of inspiration.

1. Shoes

I like shoes a lot. In fact, I blog them every Tuesday (Shoesday) because I think everyone needs a pretty shoe fix on a weekly basis.

2. Entertaining

I love throwing parties (it's no wonder I do it for a living) and inviting friends and family over to enjoy good food, wine, and conversation.

3. Puppy heads

Their sweet innocence and desire to simply bring joy into the world is so comforting in this crazy busy world. My dog Mira keeps me from working too much and makes sure I get outside and spend time away from the computer. Plus, she’s a big cuddle bug and is ever-vigilant to the threat of the evil postman.

4. Design blogs & the community of bloggers

Design blogs are always a wealth of inspiration and escape from the daily grind of life. Not to mention I count so many bloggers as friends, the community of bloggers makes me feel like I am a part of a small, close-knit, and über-stylish community.

5. Martha Stewart

Martha is a genius and so many sectors of the lifestyle and event community are forever in her debt.

6. Art & Architecture

I was an art history major in college and I love studying Moorish architecture, illuminated manuscripts, and appreciating the monumental lines of Romanesque architecture. The craftsmanship and intricacy of each art form is mesmerizing.

7. England

I love England, the saturated green grass, the free roaming cattle, the weeping willows, medieval churches with faded tombstones, timber truss pubs decorated with baskets of colorful flowers, meandering rivers, and country estates. I love getting a cup of tea and with a scone in the apple orchard in Granchester that Rupert Brooke called “Forever England.”

8. Pretty pictures

I love lifestyle, still life, food photography, and fine art photography. Photographers like Elizabeth Messina, Kirsten Ellis of Beaux Arts Photographie, and Polly Wreford, to name just a few, are so good at capturing a moment in time and the beauty of that single instance.

9. Fresh Flowers

I love to have fresh flowers in my office; the life they breathe into a room is so special, I could stare at them for hours. I particularly love café au lait dahlias (the bigger the better), hydrangea, ranunculus, and peonies.

10. Peanut Brittle

I admit it, I’m a peanut brittle addict. If you give me a box of peanut brittle I will eat it all and I won’t share. Seriously, I have a peanut brittle problem, is there a support group for that?